Oral and dental health as a predictor of low birth weight; a diagnostic cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal oral health has increasingly been recognized as an important component of prenatal care, with emerging evidence suggesting that poor oral and dental conditions may contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Objectives: This study investigates whether an oral and dental health assessment score can serve as a predictive indicator of low birth weight (LBW) among postpartum mothers.
Materials and Methods: This diagnostic cross‑sectional study was conducted among 76 postpartum mothers referred to Sabalan Hospital in Ardabil, Iran, between September 2024 and April 2025. Participants were selected through simple random sampling and classified into LBW (<2500 g) and normal birth weight (≥2500 g) groups. Demographic and obstetric data were collected through interviewer‑administered questionnaires and medical record review, while maternal oral and dental health status was assessed by a trained dentist using a standardized oral health risk assessment questionnaire for pregnant women, with higher scores indicating poorer oral health. The association between oral and dental health and LBW was assessed using statistical tests.
Results: The study enrolled 76 mothers, comprising 37 who had delivered a low‑birth‑weight infant and 39 whose infants were classified as normal birth weight. The findings showed that higher oral and dental health scores were strongly associated with increased odds of LBW in both unadjusted and adjusted regression models, with odds ratios of 1.26 and 1.25, respectively. Diagnostic analysis further demonstrated that the oral health score had acceptable discriminatory performance, with cutoffs of 4.5, 6.5, and 8.5 yielding sensitivities of 78%, 67%, and 62% and specificities of 72%, 77%, and 93%, respectively, reflecting a progressive shift from greater case detection to stronger rule‑out capability as the threshold increased.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that poorer maternal oral and dental health is an independent predictor of LBW and may serve as a useful screening indicator.

Keywords: Oral health, Dental health surveys, Pregnancy, Pregnant women, Birth weight, Infant, Low birth weight